Saturday, January 03, 2009

Please help me welcome our very fist guest blogger of 2009, Elisabeth Naughton! Elisabeth’s debut book, Stolen Fury, has just come out and I can’t wait to read it. Leslie and I were lucky enough to hang out with Elisabeth in San Francisco last summer, and in addition to be an awesome writer, let me tell you she is a totally fun dinner date. :) So, take it away, Elisabeth…

The Single Greatest Lines

Happy New Year to the gang at Killer Fiction! It’s so hard to believe 2009 is already here. For months and months I’ve been looking forward to the end of December and the release of my debut romantic suspense, STOLEN FURY. Now it’s come and gone and 2009 is here with a vengeance. And I can’t help but wonder…where did the time go?

I won’t bore you with resolutions or recaps of the past year. But with release day here and gone, I’ve been thinking back to some of the best comments I’ve received since I got word my book would soon hit the shelves. These are some of my favorites:

From my sister-in-law, after she saw the cover of the book. “Oh, my! How on earth did you convince your publisher to put a picture of you and Dan (my husband) on the cover of your book?!”

Local used bookseller. “You? Wrote a book? Seriously? If that’s the case I should be able to order it through Ingrams.” (Surprised, after checking computer…) “Oh. Well. Look at that. I guess you did.”

My mother, after reading the book. “I liked it. But…but…Elisabeth! You don’t talk like that!”Ahem. I could explain to my mother, until I’m green in the face, that it’s not me talking like that but my characters. However I’m pretty sure she would never understand. My hubby (as you can well imagine) is eating it up the fact people think he looks like the model on the cover of the book, and as for that used bookseller? Well, let’s just say I’m sure he’s in for an even bigger shock about little ol’ me if he ever actually reads the book.

It’s entertaining to hear what people think about books and authors. The newspaper reporter who interviewed me this week asked (after hearing my book is being compared to Romancing the Stone) if I’m a real life Joan Wilder. My answer (after a good chuckle)? “Well, I guess. If you don’t count the fact I live in the suburbs, I’m happily married and have three kids who spend all day screaming at the top of their lungs just because it’s fun.” Now that the book is out, I’m bracing myself for more colorful comments. Amongst my neighbors there’s a real “curiosity” factor as to what I’ve been writing about all these months, holed up in my house. And I’m sure everyone who knows me will be undoubtedly be wondering if this or that character is based on them. Next week is my big local launch party in celebration of the release. I plan on smiling a lot, nodding and leaving them all wondering just what else is going on in my little head.

What about you? What’s the best line you’ve ever heard someone ask (or tell) an author?

Oh…and before I forget…In honor of STOLEN FURY’s release, I’m running a FUN, interactive contest on my website. Are you searching for Fortune & Glory? (And who isn’t in this economy?) Simply go to www.elisabethnaughton.com/fortune.html to enter and play. Embark on your very own quest, partner up with a sexy treasure hunting guide and enter to win a $100 VISA gift card!

Elizabeth! Yay! I'm so excited that your book is finally out - I'll have to grab it this weekend.

I totally relate to the bookstore bit. I had to convince my local store I'd written a book too. I guess my answer to your question is when people say, "Really? I can actually buy your books in a real bookstore???"

That's funny, Leslie, because that newspaper reporter who interviewed me this week said the same thing. We must have chatted over the phone for half an hour (and me with basically no voice as I'm fighting laryngitis right now), then when we were done with the interview I asked her when the article would run. She wasn't sure. She kind of him-hawed, said maybe next week...depends on what happens in the news, etc. So I hung up, thinking, "okay, well. I guess we'll see what happens." Then the reporter called back because she'd forgotten to ask where the book can be bought and when I told her any major bookstore - Borders, Waldens, Barnes & Noble, Powells, etc. - she said, "Wait. People can buy this in the store??? Like a real store?" She was totally shocked. At that point I think she finally took me seriously. Next thing I knew, she was calling back telling me the article was running in the Sunday paper (biggest circulation of the week) with a reprint in the Wed. edition (the day of my launch party).

The book is great! I finished reading it the day Amazon left it on my doorstep. Couldn't put it down. Looking forward to the launch party on Wed. I'll pick up more for friends. I already passed out three. :)

The Crime

The authors of this blog are hereby charged with writing Killer Fiction novels responsible for spontaneous outbursts of laughter in public places, uncontrollable swooning over larger-than-life heroes, and the deaths of countless fictional villains.

The Evidence

Our Accomplices

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May 4thMina Khan